Cotswolds Lavender Lemonade and Gin Fizz Recipes

Cotswolds Lavender Lemonade with Cotswolds Honey

Makes 6-8 large servings

INGREDIENTS
(Ingredients listed below are best sourced in the Cotswolds if possible).
2 – 3 cups full of fresh lavender blossoms or more if easily available – grown in the Cotswolds. Remove most of the stalks.
(If fresh lavender is not available culinary lavender may be substituted)
1 jar (or to taste) Cotswolds Honey – must be from honey sold in a glass jar.
3 cups of de-ionized or distilled water.
4 lemons (organic and from the Cotswolds if possible).
5 Cups of cold water – (or more or less to taste).

IMPORTANT
All kitchen items used to prepare this lemonade must be made of glass or stainless steel and the spatula must be wooden.
The method of squeezing the lemons must be done using glass or stainless steel.
The strainer used for the lemons and for the lavender must be plastic or stainless steel (Most strainers are not made of stainless steel).

METHOD

LAVENDER INFUSION

This is what will give the lavender colour to the lemonade.

IMPORTANTUse either a stainless steel saucepan or an ovenproof glass dish to heat the distilled water or de-ionized water.
If distilled or de-ionized water is used it is possible to store any leftover infusion in the fridge for up to two weeks and use it for more lavender lemonade.
If tap water is used this ruins the infusion if it is to be stored in the fridge.
Tap water may be used if all of the infusion is used immediately.

Heat distilled water and just before it boils remove it from the stove top.

Save 2 or 3 Table Spoons of the heated water and set aside.

Place the lavender blossoms in the heated water.
Prod and stir with wooden spoon occasionally as lavender steeps for five minutes or so.
Pour the 2 or 3 Table spoons of de-ionized water that was set aside onto the Cotswolds honey.
Stir to soften enough for it to be poured.Strain the lavender infused water through a plastic sieve into a glass container.Pour into glass bowl to check for any remaining plant material. If found strain again or remove.

Squeeze the lemons and strain (through plastic strainer) Set aside.
Put the lemon juice into a large pretty glass or ceramic jug.
Add cold water in stages.
Add honey in stages until desired sweetness.
Add lavender infusion to the lemonade until whole jug of lemonade turns a lavender hue. Store any remaining infusion in a glass jar in the fridge (for up to two weeks) for more lemonade.
Add ice cubes and garnish with slices of lemon, lemon wedges, paper parasols or other decorations.Enter competition (below)

Send me a copy of your Cotswolds LAVENDER LEMONADE AND/OR GIN FIZZ PHOTO with your own decorations.
The WINNER of the most inventive decorations submitted will receive as their PRIZE a Kindle copy of my book:COTSWOLDS MEMOIR: Discovering a Beautiful Region of Britain on a Quest to Buy a 17th Century Cottage (Available on Amazon)
This can be gifted to anyone of your choice
The winner’s photo will appear on my website www.DizWhite.com
and be Tweeted on my Twitter site @DizWhite
Send your entry to publicitypromo@aol.com
Competition is ongoing – prizes given periodically.

Photographs by Randall Montgomery

Cotswolds Memoir:

Now available in Paperback, Kindle and Audio Book

Discovering a Beautiful Region of Britain
on a Quest to Buy a 17th Century Cottage
(Larrabee Libraries)

Available on:

A portion of the proceeds of every copy of this author’s book COTSWOLDS MEMOIR: Discovering a Beautiful Region of Britain on a Quest to Buy a 17th Century Cottage is donated to Cotswold conservation institutions.

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Cotswolds Memoirs

Discovering a Beautiful Region of Britain on a Quest to Buy a 17th Century Cottage

Available on Amazon

An English actress and comedy writer returns from Hollywood to her homeland to buy a cottage in the Cotswolds, the most beautiful part of Britain. Her exciting search turns into a laugh-out-loud, good life, foodie, meet the eccentric locals, cliff-hanging, explore the idyllic Cotswolds fun read as she finds the sense of community lacking in her urban existence and decides ‘It doesn’t get much better than this!’

Next book in the series:

More Cotswolds Memoirs

Creating the Perfect Cottage and Discovering Downton Abbey in the Cotswolds

Available on Amazon

Continuing actress/author Diz White’s love note to this beautiful region More Cotswolds Memoirs finds her on another fun-filled roller coaster ride as she builds on to her Grade II listed cottage and, during her journey, discovers the Cotswold film locations of Downton Abbey, explores their history and meets with the stars of the series. Gorgeous colour photographs make this book a souvenir of the Cotswolds.There is also valuable information for cottage owners preparing to build an extension. Plus an extensive Visitor’s Guide which includes the best the Cotswolds has to offer in historic sites, activities, accommodation, gastro-pubs, restaurants, antique emporiums, open gardens, etc. with many off-the-beaten-track and eclectic choices.